Light system for knitting machines



Dec.14,1948. I M. VIOLANDI 2,456,16Q

LIGHT SYSTEM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 7; 1948 INVENTOR. MARCO V/ OLA/VD/ 4 T TORNE V Patented Dec. 14, 1948 [UNITED STATES PA ENT OFFICE 2,456,160 LIGHT SYSTEM Fon KNITTING MACHINES 1 Marco Violandi, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Stop- Motion Devices Com, Brooklyn, N. Y a corporation of New York I 1 Application April 7, 194 8, Serial N 19,552 I 3 Claims.

cular material so that it may be inspected for correcting defects in the knitting operation.

At the presenttime closed top knittingmachines are provided with a light within the circular material being knitted, but the present construction has numerous objectionable features. It is customary to mount a rotary switch upon the top of the vertical shaft of the knitting machine and to connect the usual 1 -volt circuit from an outlet on the ceiling to the rotary switch. A cable connects with the rotary switch and is wound around the vertical shaft of the knittingmachine and extends downwards and finally extends through an opening inthe'vertical shaft into its interior and into the interior of the material being knitted. A 110 volt lamp is then mounted in a suitable socket connected with thebottom end of the cable. This construction has numerous disadvantages. I

In the first place it is not readily adapted to establishments having extra high ceilings. It requires wiring of the ceiling if the ceiling lacks suitable outlets. Moreover, the use of electric wires hanging down fromthe ceiling and their connection with a rotary switch, which in turn is connected with a cable extended loosely or firmly around the vertical shaft of the knitting machine presents fire hazards. This is particularly true because of the strong current used, namely, 110 volts or more.

In order to better understand. the objects of this invention some consideration must now be given to the circular knitting machine itself. It is customary to provide these "machines with a rotary vertical shaft which extends upwards and which supports a yarn carrier for the spools of yarn, guides for theyarn, electric stop motions for the yarn having normally open switches electrically connected in a parallel group, and a coaxially mounted conductor ring associated with a contact arm. The knitting machine is fur- I ther provided with an electric controller stop means for stopping said knitting machine upon the operation of any oneof the stop-motion devices, an electric feed circuit connecting said controller stop meansgsaid parallel 'groupof switches, said contact-arm, and said conductor ring in series.

' tioned above.

f The dominating object of this invention is to provide the circular knitting machine with a new light system for illuminating the interior of the circular material being knitted, which eliminates the ceiling wiring, the rotary switch at the top of the vertical shaft, and the cable extending down from the rotary switch. In place of these hazardous objects this invention proposes to conmeet the electric socket which ismounted on the bottom of the rotary vertical shaft of the knitting machine withthe electric circuit which controls the stop motions, and the controller men- An important advantage gained immediately by this substitution would be in a reduction of the fire hazard. The electric feed circuit which connects the controller stop means and the stop motion switches, etc., is of low volttage,' for example, 10 or 12 volts. It is supplied by a transformer or by batteries. The use of low voltage'reduces fire hazards. It is proposed to use a small wattage lamp in the electric socket in the'bottom of said vertical shaft.

' Another and important object of this inventionis to provide exceptionally simple parts added to the electric circuit of the stop motion switches and controller stop motion means, to

provide the necessary'conncctions for lighting the low wattage lamp. Specifically, the only mechanism'required is a second conductor ring, asecond contact arm engaging the second conductor ring, and a few wires properly connecting theparts in the circuit. I

More specifically, the invention proposes to connect the lamp in series with the two conductor rings and to provide a shunt circuit of the feed-circuit-to the controller stop means and the parallel group "of switches, arranged to shunt said controller stop means and said parallel group of switches, and; connecting said contact arms; said conductor rings and said lamp in series.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a device as described which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

, For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly setforth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

' Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of a circular knitting machine provided with a lamp system constructed in accordance with this invention.

nation with a circular knitting machine I hav.--

ing a vertical rotary shaft II extending down into the circular material 'I2 being knitted by said machine Ill and also extending up and supporting a bobbin table I4 for thespoolsofyarn I5, various guides I6 for guiding the yarn, elec tric stop motions I! of variousdesigns and pe sitioned at various points, as is customary, to protect the yarn, and a coaxially mounted oonductor ring 22. The electric stop motions I I have normally open switches l8 connected in a paralflel'groupla. These stop motions .I'! may beof thetypes dis los d. in pat nt.- to E ard V sc No. J,32,9, g anted. Sept mber 14,, .1943 fo St pmo on d v c s,v n patent to Edwa d V sf en N 2 351,713, g anted September 5, 944 for Controller for machines,

The'circular knitting machine I O is also provided with anelectric controller stop means 20 o t ppinssaid knitt n ma h ne, and n l tric feed circuit 2l connecting said controller stop me ns 20, said parallel, group of switches l8, andasaid contact ring 22 in series. The electric "feed circuit, '21 comprises the secondary of a ,t c sicrm r 24- The electric. controller stop means'Zll may be of a design similar to, that disclosed in the patent to Vossen, No. 2,357,713

supra. The seriescircuit may beltra'ced by starting at one end of the secondary coil of the transformer 4, namely, the end indicated by refer- .ence n meral 25, From thispointalead 21 con-- meets with "the insulated terminal .of the 'controller 20. The circuit then extends through the controller as shown in the Vossen patent, and

then 'connectswith the ground 25. The ground 25 connects, With the parallel group of switches "Ifigwhich in turn are. connected with the conductor ring 22 A contact arm .23 engages the conductor ring 22 and connects with the leadl29 whichin turn connects with the other endof the secondary coil of the transformer 24. The con,- tact arm 28 is supported on a-collar .33 which is mounted on a pipe 30 supported by an insulation collar 3 I mounted on the frame 32 of the knitting machine l0.

The new light system, in accordance with this I inyention, includes a second conductor ring 34 coaxially connected on said vertical shaft I I and cooperative with a, second contact arm 35. This contact arm 35, is supported on an insulation bushing 36. by which it is mounted on the pipe 30 so as to be insulated from thepipe 30,, An electric lamp 38 is mounted on the bottom of the vertical shaft I I within the circular material 12 being knitted by the knitting machine I0 and is for the purpose of lighting "the, interior of said knitted material I2. Said lamp 38is connected n a circuit 39 in series with said conductorrings 2 2 and34. It is pointed out that a shuntcircuit now exists from said feed circuit 2|, shunting said controller stop means 20, and said parallel group of switches I8. Said shunt circuit connects said contact arms 28 and 35,said conductor rings 22 and 34, and saidlamp 38in series. This shunt circuit may be traced. by startingat the eration, and the transformer 24 is provided with curr ent, the lamp 38 will burn continuously beformer 24- 22 by insulation pieces II. The conductor rings 22and 34 rotate along with the shaft II.

The-operation of the device may be understood from the icllow nez When .'the, l;nitting machine is placed into opcause it'is in a closed circuit which may be traced from the end 26 of the secondary of the transformer 24 to the contact arm 35, the conductor ring 34 the circuit 39, the conductor ring 22, the contact-arm Zflnand the lead 29 to the other end ofthe secondary coil of the transformer, This closed circuit which maintains the lamp 38 illuminated at all times does not interfere with the operation of the stop. motions I! and the controller means 20. This may be understood by tracing the stop motion circuit by starting at the point 26 of the? secondary of the transformer 24, following the lead 21 toithe controller stop means 241, then the ground 25. 1 The circuit then picks up from the ground 25 through the parallel group of stop motionswitches I8 to the conductor ring 2- 2, the. contact arm 28, and the lead 29 to the other end of the secondary .coil of the trans- When any one or more, of the switches I8 of the, stop. motion devices I1 close, an electric circuit will then be established through the ground 25 to the controller 20 which :acts to, stop theknitting machine II). In other words,-when any one of the-stop motions I7 is cct into operation by the yarn causing its. switch to be closed, the controller-His activated to stop *the knitting machine I0.

While Lhavc illustrated and {described the preferred embodimentof my invention, it is to be understood that I doanot limit myselfto the pre- Jcise construction herein disclosed and the right is; rescr'lfed toallchanges and modifications'coming within the scope of the invention as defined chine; turtherrnore haying an electric controller t In o e or etc-Paine id k ittin a n and art-electric feed circuit connecting said con,- trol-ler stop means, s idparallel roup of. switches, nd aid cont ctand cndu t rrin n Se ie 91? 81 3 9, ,d: o ducto rin ially m unted n said ver cal shaft a second con.- tact "rm n a n said econd Qonductor rin a cl l ath b ttom portion of sa d vert cai shaft-for hi h-tine up the interior of said circular knitted material and connected, inseries with said conductor rings, and a shunt circuit from said feed circuit for lighting said lamp and shunting said controller stop means and said parallel group of switches, said shunt circuit connecting said contact arms, said conductor rings and said lamp in series.

2. The combination with a circular knitting machine having a rotary vertical shaft extending down into the circular material being knitted by said machine and extending up and supporting a yarn carrier for the spools of yarn, guides for the yarn, electric stop motions for the yarn with normally open switches electrically connected in a parallel group, and a coaxially mounted conductor ring, a contact arm engaging said conductor ring, and said knitting machine furthermore having an electric controller stop means for stopping said knitting machine, a transformer, and an electric feed circuit connecting said controller stop means, said parallel group of switches, and said contact arm and conductor ring in series with the secondary of said transformer, of a second conductor ring coaxially mounted on said vertical shaft, a second contact arm engaging said second conductor ring, a lamp mounted on the bottom portion of said vertical shaft for lighting up the interior of said circular knitted material and connected in series with said conductor rings, and a shunt circuit of said feed circuit for lighting said lamp and shunting said controller stop means and said parallel group of switches, and said shunt circuit connecting said contact arms, said conductor rings and said lamp in series with the secondary of said transformer.

-3. The combination with a circular knitting machine having a rotary vertical shaft extending down into the circular material being knitted by said machine, of a pair of conductor rings coaxially mounted on said vertical shaft, a contact arm for each of said conductor rings, a lamp mounted on the bottom portion of said vertical shaft for lighting up the interior of said circular knitted material and electrically connected in series with said conductor rings, and an electric feed circuit for lighting said lamp and connecting said contact arms, said conductor rings, and said lamp in series.

' MARCO VIOLAND'I.

No references cited. 

